Barrel attachment



Patented Oct. 29., 1895.

W. L. RUsHToN. BARREL ATTACHMENT.

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WILLIAM L. RUSHTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BARREL ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 548,724, dated October 29, 1 895.

Application niet October 22,1895I serai no. 526,646. (no man.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern/.-

Be itv known that I, WILLIAM L. RUsHToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Barrel Attachment, of which the following is a speciication.

Thisinvention relates tobarrel attachments; and it has for its object to provide a new and useful weight or follower attachment for barrels, providing simpleand efficient means for keeping the contents of a barrel or of a package tightly packed to prevent the same from loosening or becoming otherwise displaced during transportation, and the invention therefore contemplates a device capable of automatically compensating for any settling of the contents of a barrel or package.

With these and other objects in View, which will readily appear as the nature of the in- Vention is better understood, the same consists in .the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is an enlarged p sectional view of the upper part of a barrel or other package equipped with the hereindescribed attachment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sec tional view on the line .fr a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing another form of spring-catch. Fig. t is a cross-sectional View on the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of one of the springwire catches.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l designates a barrel or other similar package, such as ordinarily employed for shipping oysters, meats,'or other edibles that are likely to settle and loosen up during the shipment of the filled barrel or package. In the ypresent invention t-he barrel or package l is designed to accommodate Within the upper open end thereof the self adjusting loose weight-follower 2. The self-adjusting loose weight-follower 2 is of a sufficient weight to eX- ert a considerable pressure on the contents of the barrel or package to hold the same tightly packed therein, while at the. same time also being sufficientlyA heavy to automatically adjust itself to any settling or loosening up of the contents.

The loose weight-follower 2, that is arranged for self-adjustment within the barrel or 'package l, is adapted to have arranged thereon at opposite points suitable spring-catches 3.

The spring-catches 3 preferably consist of suitable lengths of spring-wire that are coiled upon themselves at one terminal and an in-` termediate point, as at It, to receive the fastening-screws 5 for securing the same on the Weight-follower, and having free normally outwardlysprung catcharms 6, that are adapted to engage in the teeth of the opposite ratchet-bars 7.

The opposite ratchet-bars 7 are adapted to be secured inside of the barrel or package l at diametrically-opposite points by means of suitable fasteners and are arranged vertically within the barrel or package iu order to allow for a considerable play of the loose weightfollower 2. The said opposite ratchet-bars 7 are downwardly tapered reversely to the flare of the barrel or package in order that the teeth thereof will be disposed in true vertical planes to insure the engagement of the springwire catches therewith. The teeth of the opposite ratchet-bars 7 are disposed in avdirection permitting the weight -follower 2 to settle within the barrel or package, while at the same time preventing the same from working out.

The loose weight-follower 2 is provided at diametrically opposite points with. guidenotches 8, loosely embracing the ratchet-bars 7, to provide for guiding the weight-follower in its self-adj ustment, and thereby maintaining the sanne in a proper position for the engagement of the spring-wire catches with the teeth of the ratchet-bars.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and t of the drawings, sliding spring-actuated catch-bolts 9 may be substituted for the spring-wire catches 3. The sliding spring-actuated catch-bolts 9 are mounted to slide within the aligned keepers 10, secured on top of the weight-followers 2, and actuating-springs 11 are coiled on the boltsbetween the keepers to provide for normally engaging the outer catch ends of the bolts with the teeth of the ratchet-bars.

In operation with either of the spring-actuated catches on the looseweight-follower such weight-follower is placed over the contents of the barrel or package l, and as such contents settle or loosen up the weight of said weight- IOO follower will automatically adjust the same or carry it down with the contents, and the spring-actuated catches riding on and engaging with the ratchet-bars prevent the follower from rising from jolts or other causes.

In connection with the loose weight -follower 2 suitable sand-bags 12 are preferably arranged thereunder in order to more evenly distribute the pressure on the contents of the barrel or package. The sand-bags 12 not only serve to evenly distribute the pressure on the contents of the barrel or package, but also retain moisture, so as to maintain the contents moist.

The sand-bag arrangement is not claimed in the present application, but is made vthe subject-matter of claims in the contemporaneously-pending application, Serial No. 536,982, filed February 1, 1895.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages ot this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a barrel attachment, upright ratchet bars adapted to be arranged at opposite inner sides of a barrel or similar package, said ratchet bars having a downward taper corresponding to the flare ot` the barrel or package thereby disposing the toothed edges of the ratchet bars in true vertical planes, a self-adjusting loose weight follower adapted to loosely t within the barrel or package, and spring actuated catches mounted on the follower at diametrically opposite points and adapted to automatically ride over and engage with the teeth of said ratchet bars as the weight follower automatically adjusts itself to any settling or loosening up ot the contents of the barrel or package, substantially as set forth.

2. In a barrel attachment, oppositely located tapered ratchet bars adapted to be arranged vertically at opposite inner sides of a barrel or similar package, a self adjusting loose Weight follower having diametrically opposite guide notches embracing the ratchet bars, and spring wire catches secured on the weight follower at diametrically opposite points and provided with normally outwardly sprung catch arms adapted to automatically ride in engagement with the teeth of said ratchet bars, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence ot' two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. RUSHTON. ITitnesses:

E. J. HALL, J os. EvANs. 

